A Different Kind of Warmth
by Nelliel-Ni
Summary: Hinata has to follow a family tradition and she is not the only one. Will she get through? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Would you believe if I told you that I first wrote this when I was thirteen? I went through my files the other week and I discovered the draft. **

**It. Was. Awful. **

**So many mistakes, no sequence, no variety in the vocabulary and dont even get me started on the plot itself.**

**So anyway I sat my ass down and decided to rewrite it. **

**The somewhat original is in deviant art. I think ill take it down sometime soon :P**

**Minor edit 11/29: I changed the title :P**

**Anyway enjoy the story :D**

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><p>"Up... Sama." A familiar voice called to her. Hinata slowly woke from her slumber.<p>

"Wake up, Hinata-sama." The voice had a teasing edge to it and Hinata smiled. Her eyes opened and she saw her sister above her.

"Ohayo, Hanabi-chan." She whispered. Her voice was a tad hoarse and her limbs felt a bit heavy but she pulled herself up from her bed. Her sister smirked in a haughty way.

"You really are a heavy sleeper nee-san." Hinata flushed. She couldn't help it. She could sleep anywhere and at any time if she was cosy enough to. She quickly went to her bathroom for a quick shower, her uniform already there.

Hinata went to the prestigious, all-girls school that was required for all clans. Her clan was of the biggest and most respected ones. She loved the facility and the teachers were nice but she couldn't say the same about her peers. All the other girls, with the exception of a few, were daddy's girls and that was said Hinata-style.

"Ohayo tou-san." Hiashi nodded in return. He was already reading the morning paper, his cup of tea mostly full. Hinata entered the kitchen and found her mother making breakfast. She kissed her mother's cheek.

"Ohayo, Hinata-chan." Hikari said. Hinata sat at the table, ready to eat. Her mother placed a warm portion of rice and a simple side dish of tuna. Hinata ate her simple meal while chatting with her mother about her birthday party. She would be turning eighteen soon and Hinata couldn't wait.

Her birthday was one of her most treasured days. She got to receive wonderful gifts and see relatives and friends that lived far away. She was about to get up when her father sat on her right. She saw her mother stop her task. This was not good.

"Hinata." Her father's stern voice brought her to attention. "The clan decided it is time to enforce the ceremony." Her mother settled on her left and Hinata gulped. Her mother grabbed her hand.

"I want you to know that your uncle, your mother and I are strongly opposed to this decision but, unfortunately, the elders have the final say. Once you come back from school today you are to pack immediately and leave tomorrow morning. I have already contacted your school and they will send your diploma since the year is almost over." Hinata nodded.

"Don't worry. I'll make it." Her mother gently enclosed her into a hug and her father patted her head. Jealous, Hanabi placed herself between her mother and her sister hugging them both. Hinata giggled at her sister's antics.

She broke away when she saw she would miss the bus. She quickly left and her family escorted her out. She was happy they saw her off at her final day. She sighed into her scarf as she boarded the bus to her school. None payed attention to her but she didn't mind. She greeted the driver and took a seat near the front.

She knew it was about time she started with the tradition. It had started way back in the Edo period when clans would put the heirs through various tests to decide their readiness to succeed the line. After the second world war things changed and the clans loosened the tradition, instead making the heir survive on his own a few weeks before they turned 18. The teen had little to no financial support except for a card with a limited amount of money, enough only for the few weeks.

Of course in the begging not many got through with it but Hinata knew she wasn't like that. She was used to live like a normal person and didn't mind living as one. Her title was worthless nowadays and so was the extra money her family was making.

She sighed happily when she sat on her seat. The classroom was warm and she relished the feeling, knowing this was the last time she was here.

"Excuse me, Hyuuga-san?" She looked at the girl before her. She recognised her as her classmate but she didn't recall having a conversation with her before.

"H-Hai?" She eyed the other girls behind her nervously. She really didn't want any trouble in her last day.

"We heard about today being your last day here and we wanted to say good luck." She ended with a smile and the two girls behind her nodded. Hinata smiled back.

"Thank you." Hinata said and giggled as the two girls argued over who would speak first. The girl from before, Yumi, chopped both of their heads.

She spent rest of the day with the three girls, chatting. Hinata found herself enjoying the company. By the time she went home her lips were stretched in a mile long smile. She didn't even know how many students, including ones she had never even seen, had wished her good luck.

She called out when she entered her home. Distracted, she didn't notice her mother's absence from the kitchen until she saw that her father was not in his study. Worried, she paced around the house and occasionally calling out.

A mild noise came from the direction of the big dining room and she didn't hesitate to go over to it. She cautiously opened the door and almost passed out. There was a sudden onslaught of light and loud singing. She teared up when she recognised the song.

_They were throwing her a birthday party!_

Hanabi came over and took her hand. She led her to the table where she was sat at the head with the big cake in front of her. The song was close to finishing when Hanabi whispered in her ear.

"Quick, make a wish!" Hinata closed her eyes, blowing her candles in one go. There was collective clapping and Hinata stood to cut the cake. The table broke into polite conversations and after a while Hikari stood, announcing the presents.

The first was a small plushie that Hanabi gave to her, her cocky smirk in place.

"I bought this for you with my own money. I remembered you loved the myth about the kitsune with many tails." The plushie was a small, notably orange fox with nine overly fluffy tails. Hinata hugged her sister and excitedly opened the other gifts.

By the time she had gone to bed her head was overfilled with warmth. With this she had no doubt that she would fail.

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><p>Hinata took in her surroundings. Her new appartement was small and quite bare. Her father had drove her that morning and she had nodded in acceptance when she saw it.<p>

The appartement was a simple 2LDK in a safe neighbourhood that was at a reasonable price. She had chosen the place since the elders had said that this was the minimum they would do.

Hinata pulled up her hair in a neat ponytail and took a hold of her vacuum. She stopped for a second, pondering whether or not she would wake someone up. Then she reasoned that it was highly unlikely since it was eleven in the morning.

She hummed a tune while working. Perhaps that was why she didn't hear the knock on her door until the person on the other side started calling out.

Startled, she jogged to her door, a worried and apologetic phrase ready on her lips. Her small hand opened the door and she looked at her feet while said phrase tumbled out of her mouth.

"I-Im sorry. You were p-probably sleeping a-and I woke you u-up. I-I apologise I-" Her rant was cut off by a chuckle. She glanced at the person and she immediately flushed.

The tall young man had the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen, complete with wild blond hair, possibly bed hair, and a disarming smile. Her hand gripped the hem of her shirt. Her line of sight caught a large, tan hand stretched her way. She shyly extended her own.

"It's ok. I had to get up anyways." A warmth seeped through her at the contact. It was a completely different one than the one she had experienced the day before.

"Hi, I'm Naruto. I live next door." His hand lingered a second. "You must be my new neighbour." Hinata nodded.

"Yes, m-my name is Hinata." She heard him whistle.

"Nice name, Hinata." He smiled.

"Thank you." She whispered, her stomach full of butterflies. She bit her lip to keep from squeaking when his hand made contact with her cheek. He put the minimum force that was required to lift her face to his level.

Pearl white orbs infused with lavender looked at him and she thought she saw something flash in his eyes. His thumb grazed her cheek before it retreated and she was allowed to breathe again.

The spell was shattered when his phone broke into a vibrant rhythm. He raised a hand to his nose.

"Sorry. I have to take this. See you around." She nodded and watched him go back to his door. She shut her own and sighed. She distractedly picked up the vacuum again.

The rest of the morning she spent on cleaning every corner of her place. She ordered a pizza around three and ate it with great relish.

Still, as night came, the man remained in her thoughts. She had finished unpacking her things and was sitting down for a cheesecake when her bell rang. She hurriedly fixed her appearance and peeped through the hole. There was a blond head and she eagerly opened the door only to be greeted by the wrong blond. She smile nontheless.

"Hi, Ino-chan." The Yamanaka heir grinned at her and invited herself in. Hinata followed her and cut a piece of the pastry for her friend.

"So, how is it going?" Icy blue eyes looked at her excitedly.

"Well, uhm, i-it's ok." Ino nodded. She lived on the floor below and had gotten in a few weeks before her for the same reasons. The two girls were together until middle school where Ino had chosen a public school. They had recently renewed contact.

"Well I'll tell you all about me." The purple-haired woman giggled. She might be a bit vain but the great thing about Ino was that she could immerse anyone in her stories, even the ones that were boring.

"So I told him 'get the fuck out' then punched his face in." Ino said while retelling one of her latest dates. Her friend was prone to date eye-candies with horrible personalities.

"Anyway how about you? Anything going on?" Hinata shook her head, hoping to avoid the topic.

"Oh my god, there is someone. Tell me!" Her blush betrayed her it seemed.

"There is t-this guy. We met this morning." Her friend clapped her hands once.

"Oh, oh! It's Naruto, isn't it?" Hinata nodded.

"I know him. I was with him in high school. At first people kept asking me if I had a twin and I almost punched a person for insisting. But then Sakura introduced us and we became the 'Double Trouble Twins'." Hinata giggled, imagining the various scenarios.

"Oh, you remember Sakura right?" Ino asked. Hinata nodded in an affirmative gesture, sipping her tea.

"She has changed so much. Last time we saw her was in fifth grade when her family moved. She moved back during the eleventh grade." She sighed. "She is definitely not 'forehead girl' anymore."

"And you are not 'billboard brow'." The two girls laughed.

"We should totally invite Sakura next time we hang out." The platinum blond said while exiting her apartment.

"Sure. Good night." She said. And then flushed when her friend shouted while descending the stairs.

"Be sure to let Naruto make a move on you!" She sang.

"Ino-chan!" Ino just laughed.

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><p><strong>Phew! First chapter is done! <strong>

**I had a minor struggle with the name for Hinata's mother. There wasn't any listed on narutopedia so I looked up a few names. Hikari means light and it seemed appropriate.**

**Tell me what you think :)**

**Ciao,**

**Nelly**


	2. Chapter 2

**Updated! Finally I got around to write this chapter. It's not much since my English and my flow are as dry as the Sahara desert -.-**

**Anyway on with the chapter!**

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><p>Hinata woke up feeling refreshed. Last night hadn't been particularly special but just having her family over had been an emotional boost. Another two weeks had passed by quickly and she had finaly found a job. The small day-care center didn't exactly pay much but she was helping and that was what mattered to her. The kids were mostly kindergardens and a couple of pre-schoolers. She loved working with them, watching them and talking to them. The other two people that worked with her were nice too.<p>

The only thing that bothered her somewhat was the fact that she hadn't seen the blond man at all since their first meeting. Hinata gently placed a pot of lavender at her kitchen window. She moved about the house, checking to see if there were any chores left to do. Finding nothing, she sat on the couch. She didn't want to turn on the TV as it would only spoil her good mood. A few minutes later she got up again and made a mental list. She had finished her chores for the day, her pantry was stocked and she didn't work today.

"Hinata?" A voice through her door made her jump. She hurried to it and hastily opened it. Ino stood on the other side, a curious expression on her face.

"I-Ino-chan." Hinata smiled at her and made way for the blond to enter. Ino whistled when she took in her new decor. The style was simple, elegant and in soft colours. It reflected Hinata through and through.

"I'm not staying long and neither are you." Hinata blinked at her. "We are going to a new patisserie, you know the one that opened recently. Their soufle is heavenly and I heard the chefs are all guys. What wouldn't I give to be in that kitchen." Hinata giggled and made her way to her bedroon to change, leaving Ino to fantasize by herself.

"Is a-anyone else coming?" She asked as she slipped on her flats. Ino nodded and closed the door behind her.

"I invited Sakura. Poor girl was holed in her apartment for three days, finishing a painting. I swear I have no idea how she survives with yogurt and a few salads for a whole week." Ino tsked. Hinata walked along with her, listening to tales about Sakura.

"Hinata-chan?" A voice sounded behind them and both females turned to a wide-eyed Sakura. Hinata immediately recognised the other woman by her shock of pink hair and brilliant green eyes.

"Sakura-chan." Hinata smiled warmly at her and Sakura gladly returned it with a brief hug. "It's b-been a while." Sakura nodded and walked with them to the store.

After they were showed to a table and given their orders, Ino wasted no time filling both girls on what they had missed. At some point it dawned on Ino that it was taking too long to finish in one night and switched the topic.

"So, Hinata, what have you been doing?" The lavender-eyed girl smiled.

"Oh, I found a j-job at a daycare center. The c-children are wonderful. I only have a couple of weeks b-before I go back." Ino grinned at her and Sakura shot her a dubious glare.

"That's nice and all but I wanna know" her lids lowered, partially hiding her icy blues "how's Naruto?" Sakura almost chocked on the crème burlèe she was eating.

"Naruto? As in Naruto that has no idea how romance works?" Ino nodded solemnly. "How did you meet him, Hinata-chan?" Hinata shifted a little in her seat, suddenly fidgety, as if she was trying to gain approval from an older sister. A protective older sister.

"He lives next d-door and I woke him up o-one morning. We just t-talked a bit and he l-left." She glanced up at Sakura. "A-Ah, but I h-haven't seen him since." She trailed off a little disappointed. A hand settled over hers.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad, Hinata-chan. I'm just worried." Her brows scrunched up. Ino just shook her head.

"Both of you worry-rats need to loosen up some. Come on." She picked up the tab, waiting for the two other women to follow her.

"Where are w-we going?" Hinata asked as they donned their light coats. Ino simply shrugged. Sakura and Hinata looked at each other, wondering what their scheming friend was up to now.

The air was quite chilly at this time of night and the three friends huddled a little closer. A few blocks and lots of small talk later they were at their apartment building. They argued a bit about where they should go; Ino wanting them over to her place and Sakura not wanting to intrude before Hinata softly spoke.

"We can g-go to my apartment." A moment's hesitation later, the girls nodded and they entered Hinata's place. Ino gave a mini-tour to an excited Sakura while Hinata took out a couple of refreshments and a plate of cold finger-food.

They settled on the couch, their earlier talk continuing smoothly. It was a little after one in the morning that Ino convinced both girls for a sleep-over, even though her place was a few steps away.

Hinata giggled as Sakura pushed a sprawled Ino over. She hit the light, whispering a goodnight. She padded to her bedroom when Sakura called her back. She found her friend biting her lip, Ino bleary-eyed beside her.

"Hinata, do me a favor and pick up some things from her apartment. She's kinda woozy and it'll take too long for me to find them." Sakura said sheepishly. Hinata nodded and took the keys from Ino. She donned a light jacket and made her way down the stairs.

She gasped when she turned a corner near the entrance. Naruto was sitting on the pavement, leaning heavily against a wall, his face full of bruises and his clothes torn at some points.

"Na-Naruto-kun!" She rushed to his side, kneeling to his side. Her hand trembled as she brought it to brush a strand from his face. She let out a small cry when her hand was snatched and her eyes shot to his. They were dark and scary, nothing like the goofy young man she had seen.

A split second later his eyes widened and he let go of her hand, instead covered his beat-up face. A chuckle escaped him.

"Sorry that you had to see me like this." He smiled but it was gone when he winced. Hinata remained still.

"Naruto-kun, please let me take you to the hos"

"No!" His sudden shout startled her. He coughed heavily and started again, this time more gently. "No hospitals." His hand fell from his face and he stared at her worried form. "Go back, Hinata-chan. Please." He turned away and heard her shift. 'Good. Now she won't be scared anymore.'

He didn't hear her footsteps and turned once more to see that she had moved closer instead. She was looking at him in silent determination. Her hands lifted and she wordlesly took his arm, wrapped it around her small shoulders and lifted him with surprising strength. He grunted and grimaced at the pain shooting through his body as he didn't lean on her; merely keeping balance.

The walk up the stairs was torturous on him but he held on. A few agonisingly slow minutes later they had made it to his apartment. A pacing Sakura greeted them.

"Oh my God, Naruto! What happened?" Sakura helped Hinata into his bedroom and they laid him gently on the bed. Sakura started looking for the first aid kit while Hinata found some towels to clean the wounds.

"You haven't changed at all, Naruto." Sakura whispered to his unconscious form. She quickly tore his shirt with a swiss army knife and assesed the damage. She was no expert but a few years with brawling boys and a close friendship with the school nurse had taught her some things.

"Sakura-chan." Hinata entered and both women started wiping away the blood and dirt. In the end he only had a few cuts and even fewer bruises. His face was the worst though. A split lip, a black eye and a big wound running from his eyebrow to his cheekbone. Sakura shook her head.

"Can you wait here with him? I'm going to bring Ino to patch him up." Hinata nodded and continued to press the wound with a cold cloth. Not even two minutes later Ino walked in and Hinata knew her friend was in business mode.

"Sakura, bring me the kit I have in the bathroom." She said crispily and handed her the keys. "Hinata, keep pressing the wound until Sakura is here." Ino scowled at Naruto. She though he had stopped, that he wasn't involved anymore.

"Here." A slightly out of breath Sakura handed the kit to Ino who went to work immidiately. The other two women aided their friend as best as they could. In the end all of them were exhausted. Hinata tucked him in, squeezed his hand and left.

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><p><strong>On a side note I'm not sure when I'll be updating any of my stories for a while. But, hey, there are other stories out there so cheer up!<strong>

**Ciao,**

** Nelly**


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